Do it yourself Henna, najdi style

By Johara Al Mogbel

For as long as we can remember, every Ramadan -without fail- our great grandmother, may Allah have mercy on her soul, would round us girls up and put henna on our hands. We’d sleep overnight with plastic bags around our hands and wake up with palms that were tinted a beautiful burnt orange. Here’s a DIY on how to paint your hands traditional Najdi style yourself, for maximum nostalgia.

1- Mix the henna. Do this in the morning.

2- Let the mixture steep in the fridge. Take it out just before you go to bed.

3- Spread it on your palms (and on your nails, if you like).

4- Make a fist. Make sure you’re comfortable, as you’ll be sleeping like this.

5- Tie a sandwich bag around your hands to avoid staining any bedclothes.

6- Sleep. Your hands will burn a little but it’s all good.

7- Untie the plastic bags and wash your hands. Nothing will feel as satisfying as that moment, trust us.

8- Admire your hands. Yay! Mission accomplished! If it’s not red enough for you, just repeat. The longer the henna stays on your hands, the darker it will be.